Direction signal



Sept. 10, 1929. L. BEAUMON DIRECTION SIGNALS Fil ed March 1927 INVENTOR. fleazwwn A T ORNEY Patented Sept. l0, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEON BEAUMON, or nonrrwoon, LOS menus, camr'onma.

niancrron' SIGNAL.

' Application filed March 4, 1927. Serial mi. 172,109.

This invention relates-to and has for a main object the rovision of a new and novel direction signal ing device for'use on motor vehicles, whereby a right or left hand turn, or a stop may be indicated to on-coming traffic prior to a change in direction being made. Another object is to provide a signal'in the form of an arm, or semaphore attachable to the vehicle adjacent the drivers seat and pro- 10 vlded with one or more Neon or other gas tubes adapted to be energized for indicating different signals. 0 A

A particular object of this invention is to I providea signalling-arm adapted to be pivotally su ported at one end and having an elongate I aperture lon 'tudinally disposed 1n the arm, and a gas led tube disposed-in the aperture and su ported on the arm','and visible from both si es of the arm, the cross section of the'arm being greater than that of I the tube so that the tube will be protected against damage.

.A further object is to provide manual means for operating the arm and automatic means forenergizing the lamps, selectively, corresponding to the signal desired to bemade.

Other objects may appear as the description progresses.

I have shown a practical embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawing, subject to modification within the scope of I the ap ended claims without departing from the splritthereof. i

. In said drawings: I

Fi l-is a perspective view of my signal applled to a closedmotor car, in readiness for e signal; I Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the signal embodied in the signal I o t arm, .or semaphore,-

- flapparatus; I

Fig. 2is a pers pective vievv of the manually 1perable-"means for connection and operatingv si nal arm S having lamps L and L mount- 1 e thereon, and an operating mechanism. in-

cluding a handle H, lever h, shaft G and sector J, as shown in Fig. 2 adapted for connecas shown in Fig. 1.

tion with the arm S for operating said'arm, I

Signal S has a metallic head A in. the form I .of an arrow, and a tail-fixture F which are spaced apart substantially and are connected by means 'of a pair of parallel metallic tubes T and T. Members A and F are perforated on adjacent sides to receive the opposed ends of a pair of glass Neon lamp tubs L and L which illuminate the signal. Lamp L has electrodes E and E and lamp L has similar electrodes 2 and e, respectively, at the opposite ends thereof, for connection with the "wires of an electric system, for energizing thelam s. I

T e inner ends of lamps L and vL are imbcdded in a suitable block of insulating mate- .rial I, such as vulcanite or the like, within the fixture F while the electrod E and e project therefrom into the switch chamber 1 of said fixture A contact plunger P is slidably mounted in the fixture F at right angles to the lamps L and L, as shown, and carries I a pair of spaced contacts C and C, arranged, respectively, for contactwith the electrodes E and e of lamps L and L.

Plunger P-is insulated from and mounted in a pair of thimbles Band D mounted in the fixture F, and has a head d of insulating material projecting from onelside of the fixture F. The other end of the plunger is provided with a reduced stem d within the thimble D and carries a coiled spring 2 which normally urges the plunger upwardly to and maintains the same in normal position, so that the contactsC and C will disengage the electrodes E and e of lamps L and L. f

The stem (1' of the plunger P is connected with a wire W which leads to a'terminal of a distributor switch M, and the electrodes E and e of lamps L and L are commonly conat 9. Terminal} of the distributor M is connected at 3 with wire W, which is grounded Said coil 6 is connected with a battery 7 which is grounded at 8 and the circuit is completed through interrupter 4 to ground 7'.

A metal plate B is provided for covering one side of the fixture F and the same is attached thereto by means of screws 10, 10, .etc. Said fixture has a bore 11 therethrough which receives a hinge pin, or screw 12 attachable to the corner post 13 of the car body, or to another convenient part of the body, whereby the arm S may swing downwardly from a normally upright position to various positions indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, for indicating difi'erent signals.

Centrally of the car I ing' means shown in Fig. 2. Said means includes a handle H fixed tothe inner end of a horizontal shaft G, mounted in the front panel, or frame, 14 of the windshield, and movable 'over' a sector J provided with notches for holding the handle in different positions. The outer end of shaft G carries an arm h adapted for connection with the the outer end of said rod being arm S by pivoted to a fittingr attached to one edge of the fixture F.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the rod R is in the plane of and engages the upper side of the head (Z of the plunger P, and as the arm S is swung downwardly said rod depresses the plunger correspondand serves to move the contacts G and G into engagement with the electrodes E and e of lamps L and L. -When, however, the arm S is at rest in an upright position the plunger will be so positioned as to hold the contacts out of engagement with the electrodes so that the lamps L and L will be normally deenergized- As shown in the drawings, Fig. 1, in full ;lines,-the arm S indicates a right hand turn and the lamp L C with electrode 6 in the movement of the will be energized and should preferably show a green, or safety light. This is occasioned by the contact of member arm S to first position. The other two poitions of the arm are for left hand turn and stop, progressively, and the movement of the arm to such positions disengagos the contact C from electrode e of lamp L and engages contact 0 with electrode E of lamp L, -caus-' ing lamp L to glow red-the danger si'gnah,

desired or necessary a "shield or suitable enclosure 18 may be attached to the car body for protecting the arm S when the same is inoperative, and other means may beeniployed than that shown'for operating. the arm S. What I claim is:

14 A direction signal for motor vehicles comprising a rigid arm, and a Neon light tube mounted longitudinally in said arm for producing a colored direction signal, said tube being supported inwardly of the sides thereof for protecting the tube damage, lid

provide the operatmeans of a wire rod R, as shown,

visible when illuminated, from opposite sides of the arm.

2. A direction signal for motor vehicles comprising a signal arm having an elongated central aperture therein open at opposite sides of the arm, and a gas filled tube disposed in said aperture for producing the color of the signal, said arm projecting laterally from the periphery of said tube for protecting the tube against breakage.

3. A direction signal'coniprising a signal arm adapted to be pivotally supported on a vehicle and having an elongated central aperture therein open at oppositesides of the arm, and a N con gas filled tube disposed in said aperture and supported at its ends 011 said arm.

4. A direction signal comprising anarin in the form of an arrow and provided with an elongated central aperture therein open at opposite sidcs'of the arm, a gas filled tube disposed in said aperture and visible through d the aperture from both sides of the arm, the cross sectional area of said arm being greater than the area of said tube, for protecting the tube against damage.

. LEON BEAUMON. 

